my story

I started the student loan process without any real understanding of things like, “how student loans work,” “which ones are best,” and “what am I getting myself into?” My parents were supportive of my college dreams, but they didn’t have any experience with student loans. A lot of parents don’t.

Looking back, I wish I asked for more help—from my guidance counselor and my college’s financial aid office (at any of the schools I was applying to). An admissions counselor might have been able to point me in the direction of whom to ask. Instead, I ended up with a good chunk of my student loan debt in the form of private loans.…

Graduation is generally a time of celebration and grand phrases like ‘reach for the stars’ and ‘opportunity is yours…’ But it didn’t feel that way to me. As I recall, post-graduation felt like being dropped in the middle of the ocean with a bottle of water, a life vest, and a Swiss army knife.

The worst part was feeling that I was completely alone in this feeling. I didn’t realize just how normal it was to really struggle, especially during a recession.…

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